


Recovery

by blackredpanda



Category: Rockman Zero | Mega Man Zero
Genre: 99:1 Hurt:Comfort, Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Missing Scene, Trauma, Whumptober 2019, mid-Z3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-05
Updated: 2019-11-05
Packaged: 2021-01-23 11:28:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21319450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blackredpanda/pseuds/blackredpanda
Summary: Harpuia will recover from his injuries.If only Cerveau could say the same for everyone else.(Whumptober 2019prompt 30)
Kudos: 15





	Recovery

**Author's Note:**

> Wake me up when Whumptober ends

"Increase the coolant flow rate," Cerveau said.

He looked up from his monitors to glance at his patient. The damage Harpuia had sustained from Omega was severe, but Zero had retrieved him in time. With all the major fixes done, the main thing now was to make sure Harpuia's auto-repair would complete the healing process. Under these conditions, it was common for a Reploid's core temperature to spike as their internal defenses came back online and went into overdrive. Helping Harpuia recover would be much easier with his maintenance codes – then his systems would stop fighting their input – but they were used to improvising. It was probably for the best that he was still unconscious.

"Is that enough?" Rocinolle asked. Cerveau checked the monitors again.

"Yes... we can make adjustments as needed, but he should be fine now. I'll leave you in charge."

"All right. I'll call you if his condition changes."

Now came the difficult part. Cerveau sighed to himself as he stepped outside and locked the door behind him, so only his team could enter. He'd expected to see someone waiting in the corridor, but even then, his core sank as he met the Reploid's drawn face and wild, gleaming eyes.

"Colbor..." Cerveau began.

"...It's fine." The cords in Colbor's neck worked silently as he clenched and unclenched his fists, carefully considering his words, tasting them to keep from spitting them out. "I guess... you had to be there."

"For what?"

"To see _him_. To see how my team died."

Cerveau said nothing.

"'Foolish Mavericks', he called us. Sizerin and Grive were cut to ribbons. Faisan died screaming, fried in his lightning bolts, and the _crackling_... I'll never forget it. And Sterne, he – he pushed me out of the way, and he got snatched up – and smashed straight into the ground. Cracked the concrete – broke him in half."

"I – I know – I owe Zero, and – these are Miss Ciel's orders," Colbor continued. Without warning, he seized on Cerveau's lapels. "So _you_ tell me – how could they forget?!" He shook Cerveau back and forth until his teeth rattled, as if he could shake answers loose from the old mechanic with enough violence. "How could you forget what that bastard did to us?!"

"Colbor..."

Cerveau adjusted his footing and his visor, heaved a deep sigh, and placed his hands on the younger Reploid's shoulders. Colbor, like most of the Resistance, was a general-purpose model; he was literally not made to bear this burden. Faced with Cerveau's silent gaze, the fire slowly died out from Colbor's eyes, and his grip on Cerveau's clothes trembled and went slack as he lowered his head and made a choking noise.

"We never forgot."

Speaking as gently as he could, Cerveau lifted Colbor's chin to look at him.

"That's why we're doing this. To end this war, once and for all... Ciel needs all the help she can get."

**Author's Note:**

> Reads and kudos always appreciated. All comments welcome, including but not limited to short comments, long comments, rambles, comprehensive theses, questions, or criticism.


End file.
